Up and Coming
Provided by Melissa Elsworth
Melissa specialises in all aspects of family law relating to children, including both private and public law proceedings.
Within the private law sphere, she has extensive experience of complex cases, including those involving serious allegations of abuse, intractable opposition to contact, high conflict, as well as leave to remove applications. Melissa is instructed to represent parents as well as the child(ren), through their 16.4 Guardian.
In addition to this, Melissa has significant experience of the law surrounding surrogacy, fertility treatment and LGBT families, in particular, applications for Parental Orders, Declarations of Parentage, and private law disputes arising out of surrogacy arrangements. Melissa has appeared in numerous reported cases within this area (both within the High Court and the Court of Appeal), is regularly led by prominent silks, and has provided many seminars/talks within this field. Melissa is recognised as having wide-ranging experience and knowledge of this area, which is beyond her year of call. Indeed, Mrs Justice Theis referred to Melissa within the judgment of Y v Z [2022] EWFC 157 (Fam) as being a ‘specialist in this area’.
Within the public law sphere, Melissa is instructed in a wide range of cases, acting for the Local Authority, parents or the Guardian, including cases involving vulnerable parents, allegations of non-accidental injury and child death, international issues, deprivation of liberty, and radicalisation.
Year of Call: 2015
FLBA
ALC
Provided by Chambers
Melissa Elsworth has an impressive growing family practice in which she regularly acts in modern families matters. She has significant strength in such issues as surrogacy and assisted reproduction.
Provided by Chambers
Melissa is a very well-prepared advocate, who will always go above and beyond to get a good result. Clients love her, and rightly so.
Melissa has it all. She has the law at her fingertips and adopts a practical and human approach to her cases.
Melissa is a calming barrister whose clear and concise approach to advocacy is impressive to watch. She gets to the root of an issue quickly.
Melissa is a very well-prepared advocate, who will always go above and beyond to get a good result. Clients love her, and rightly so.
Melissa has it all. She has the law at her fingertips and adopts a practical and human approach to her cases.
Melissa is a calming barrister whose clear and concise approach to advocacy is impressive to watch. She gets to the root of an issue quickly.
